Among us anglers, there is a sound we look forward to all year long. It’s a sound of summer fly fishing, heard on calm lakes throughout the Yellowstone Region. The sound brings excitement, challenge, frustration, and potentially reward. The sound is the renowned “gulp” that a big stillwater trout makes when it breaks the surface of a lake to eat an insect. This audible gulp sound is known by many anglers who chase rising trout in the Yellowstone Region.
A Little About Gulper Fishing
Coined by the sound they make when eating bugs on the surface, gulpers are trout that cruise the lake and rise to insects on the surface. These trout make a gulp sound when they feed on the surface, hence the name. Gulpers were made famous on Hebgen Lake, which is known for some of the best stillwater dry fly fishing in the world. While famous on Hebgen Lake, gulpers can be fished on a wide variety of lakes across Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.
Depending on the lake, the best of the gulper fishing starts in June and lasts through September. A variety of insects bring stillwater trout to the surface. Midges, callibaetis, PMDs, tricos, caddisflies, damselflies, and terrestrials all come into play when targeting gulpers. That said, the callibaetis mayfly is the star of the show. It’s the most consistent and productive hatch when fishing for gulpers. Also called the speckled dun, callibaetis are a size 14-16 grey mayfly with black mottling on its body and wings. Trout key on both the emergence and spinner fall, which make for epic stillwater dry fly fishing all summer.
Challenges Of Gulper Fishing
Gulper fishing is one of the most challenging fishing experiences in the Yellowstone Region. It’s why so many anglers and I have fallen in love with it over the years.
Let’s talk through what makes gulper fishing so challenging. The first challenge is the weather and conditions. Most notably, the dreaded “W” word. The wind. It takes some luck for the wind to be calm enough for the fish to consistently rise on the lake. The calmest days bring the best of gulper fishing, as stillwater trout are less likely to rise in a heavy surface chop. Luckily, most summer mornings are calm enough for a few hours of gulper fishing before the afternoon winds kick up.
Gulper fishing takes patience and keen observation. Sometimes the hatch takes time to get going, and you do much more watching than casting. This patience can be hard for many anglers accustomed to the fast-paced nature of river fishing. Slowly walking the shoreline, waiting for the insects to emerge and a rising trout to cross your path, is a much slower pace.
Gulper fishing also requires a little more stealth than most river fishing. Hunting a trout on a calm lake can be difficult, as the fish can easily detect any wake from your boat or feet by using their lateral line. It won’t necessarily spook them, but they often head in another direction, outside of your casting range. Stealth is key in all dry fly fishing, but especially in gulper fishing.
Once in position on a rising trout, you’re faced with the difficulty of determining what direction the gulper is going. This sounds easier than it is, as trout can be rather random in their feeding patterns. One second you think the trout is moving right, only to see him rise 10 feet to the left. Knowing where the fish is heading and placing a fly in his feeding lane is the most difficult aspect of gulper fishing, in my opinion.
Now, if you’re lucky enough to have a calm morning, rising trout, and position yourself in the lane of a gulper, it’s time to fool the fish. This is also difficult, as you are trying to fool big, wary trout on flat water. Gulpers are rarely in a rush, so they have all the time in the world to inspect your offering. To deliver a natural presentation and consistently fool gulpers requires accurate casts, long leaders, small flies, and light tippets. And if you’re lucky enough to fool a gulper, you are fighting a strong stillwater fish with narly teeth and a wild attitude. It is no cakewalk to put a gulper into the net.
These challenges either make anglers addicts of gulper fishing or turn them away from the whole experience.
Flies For Gulper Fishing
I carry a wide variety of flies for gulper fishing in the Yellowstone Region. Given how diverse and complex the region’s lakes are, it pays to have a variety of insect sizes and stages.
A few of my favorite gulper flies include a parachute callibaetis (size 14-16), callibaetis sparkle dun (size 14-16), callibaetis cripple (size 16), Harrops CDC biot spinner (size 14-16), Harrops CDC ant (size 14-16), Arrick’s parachute ant (size 14), and a foam beetle (size 14-16). It’s always worth having a few PMD and trico variations, too. I also carry a few unweighted pheasant-tail variations for dropper flies, as this can drastically increase success on any given day. With the glare you so often get on the lakes, I like to tie these dry fly patterns in both light and dark shades. Depending on the light conditions, I use the fly that I can see best. For the best presentations, I tie these flies to long leaders (12-20 ft) and light tippets (4x-5.5x).
Addiction To Gulper Fishing
While not appealing to all anglers, gulper fishing is addictive for many anglers in the Yellowstone Region.
I read an old blog post on Jeff Currier’s website about gulper fishing, and he posed the question “What is it about gulper fishing that makes me go crazy?” I resonate with his sentiment.
There is something about confronting a large lake on foot with what seems like a never-ending shoreline. Taking it on with a single dry fly, using patience and observation to hunt the few trout that are rising. The skill that’s required for success and the technical nature of gulper fishing. Add all of this together, and it seems as if you have everything going against you. That is why I love gulper fishing so much, and why we as anglers are so addicted to the sound of a gulper.
I invite you to test your skills and try some gulper fishing on your next trip to the Yellowstone Region.
As always, thank you so much for reading The Curious Angler,
Nick
